Respiration apparatus for use in coal-mines and other places.



W. E. GARFORTE EESPIRATION APPABATUS FOB. USB IN COAL MINES AND OTHER PLACES.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.10,190 84 %3,462. Patented Mar.29, 1910. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. E. GARFORTH. RESPIRATION APP ARATUS FOR USB IN OOAL MINES AND OTHER PLACES. APPLIOATIOIN PILED APRJO, 1908.

%3,462. Patented Mar.29, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I HI

llllllllllll W. E. GARFORTH. RESPIRATION APPARATUS FOR USB IN GOAL MINES AND OTHER PLACES.

APPLIOATION PILED APEJO, 19084 Patented Marfl29, 1910.

3 SHBETS-SHEET 3.

UNE %TA a ?KNG nimic@ RESPIBATION APPARATUS FOR USE IN COAL-MINES'AND OTHER PLACES.

Siecification of Letters Patent.

rateatea Mar. se ieio Application filed April 10, 1908. Serial 1\T o. 426,188.

To aZZ whom 'it may concem:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM EDWARD (haroni-1, a subject of the King of Great Britain residing at Normanton, Yorkshire, England have invented acertain new and useful improved Respiration Apparatus for Use in Coal-Mines and other Places, and of which the following is a specification.

This invention refers to improvenents in rcspiration apparatus for the use of persons entering places filled with or containing irrespirable gases, and the apparatus is particularly intended for the use of trained explorers, to enable them to rescue life and. relieve sufi'ering brought about by explosions or other accidents in coal nines.

Now the object of the present invention is to so arrange and construct such apparatus, that the Volume of oxygen adnitted to the face-piece from the pressure cyli'nder, shall be governed automatically by the action of the lungs of the user and thus regulated in accordancewith his varying requiren'ents, and this end I attainohy employing a very sensitive reducing valve between the oxygen cylinder and the face-piece 'in conjunction with a face-pieceoi limited ca pacity.

According to this invcntion. the i'acepiece is of such limited capacity that the force of the lungs can expel all the vitiated air contained in it, the air expired by the lungs thus producing su'liicient pressure within the :face-piece to open a sensitive outlet valve therein and pass away to a regenerator While the inspiration of the explorer reduces the pressure within the face-piece, so that there is 'then drawn in through a sensitive inlet valve in said face-piece, a voluine of purified-nitrogen and also a Variable volume of oxygen through the `redueing valve aforesaid, according to the requirenients of the explorer, and not depending upon the pressure of the storage oxygen acting through an injector as is common.

'The valve for admitting oxygen I preferably adopt for use in carrying out n'y present invention, is of that type which has already been suggested t'or use in gas regulators or governors, in which the opening and closing of the valve is regulated by eccentrics operated through a lazy-tongs arrangement of levers connected with a rising and falling diaphragm. I have, however, made certain alterations or additions hereafier described, to such a valve with the object of increasing its sensitiveness and its certainty of action, which features are specially important in View of the serious and fatal results which would happen .to the vearer through either failure of action, or the valve not being suiiciently sensitive to respond with ease to the efi'orts of the lungs of the explorer.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, where is illustrated an example of application of a valve apparatus actuated by the hreathing oi the wearer and which forms the subject of the present invention the said invention being illustrated in conjunction with a Construction of helmet and face-piece torming the subject of Letters Patent No. 908,@39, granted to me December 29, 1908, for an improvementin respiration apparatna i Figure 1 is a front view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a Vertical section of 'the reducing valve for the oxygen. Fig. 3 shows a vertical section of a portion ot the valve drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a "vertical section of the same valve corresponding to Fig. 2, the section being taken at right angles to that shown in the latter figure, Fig. 5 shows detached and in perspective the vertically movahle valve forming a part of the appar'atus shown at Fig. Fig. 6 shows detached and in. perspective, the vertical guides for the valve as shown at Fig 5. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line X Y .of Fig. t showing a valve which closes an emergency hy-pass from the oxygen cylinders to the face-piece.

In order to enable the apparatus, according to my invention, to he properly understood, I will first broadly descrihe the general arrangement of the parts with reference to Fig. l. I

l`he face-piece 1 which is secured by straps 53 to the hear of the Wearer or otherwise attached is fitted on the interier with an inlet and an outlet valve hereafter described, respectively communicating with a double tube 2 passing over the helmet 3, the tuhe 2 being bifurcated at its rear end, and to these two tubular ends two flexible pipes 4, 5 are connected by screw-threaded nozzles `39, the pipe 4: being in connuncaton with the exit valve in the face-piece and communicating with the regenerating case ;6, while fiexible ppes 7 connect the regeneratng case -6 with the storage bag 8 for ntrogen, constructed of india-rubber or other suitable material and located in the rear part of a c'oat 9 worn by the explorer. The ppe 5, which is in communication at one end through the double tube 2 with. the inlet valve to the face-piece, at its other end communicates with the storage bag 8.

The storage cylinders 10 containing oxygen, one-upon each side of the person of the wearer, are connected by a pipe ll, and 12 (Fig. 1) is the valve which communcates by a pipe 13 with a branch of the pipe ll connected with the oxygen cylinders, and the oxygen passed by the valve 12, passes by a fiexible pipe 14: directly to'the interior of the face-piece 1.

Smeh being the general arrangenent of the apparatus, l will now describe the construction of the valve with reference to Figs. 2 to 7, inclusive. This valve is designed to act in such Inanner that with a normal pressure within the' face-piece 1, the oxygen will not 'enter therein, but upon the pressure within `the face-piece being disturbed and lessened by the indrawing of the breath of the user, the valve is opened and a supply of oxygen admitted to the face-piece; the valve istherefore so constructed and so delicatcly balanced, that the Volume of oxygen admitted varies with the energy of the inspiration of the user. To this end the valve is coniv posed of a closed cylinder 15 (Figs. 2 and 4:)

are loosely mounted eccentrics 22, Fig. 3,

each connected with an angularly extending arm 23. By these means, when the arms 23 of'the eccentrics 22 are given angular motion, the eccentrics will bear upon the upper face of the valve 19 and force it to its seat on the end ofthe nozzle 16, or on the other hand, when given a reverse angular movement, the valve 19 will be free to lift. Beneath the said valve l provide a helical spring 24 (Fig. 4:) tending to raise the Valve 19 and always hold it against the eccentrics.

To an annular fiange within the cylinder l fix one end of a fiexible tube 25, crimped or otherwise constructed so that it 'can be compressed in the direction of its axis like a camera bellows, and the u ;per end of this flexible tube is fixed to a dis 26, and within this tubular bellows there is a helical spring 27 tending to hold it in extension. .The disk 26 at the upper end of the tubular bellows, is connected by links 28 (Fig. 2) jointed together lazy-tongs fashion with the two arms 23 of the eccentric's 22, and above the disk 26 there is a helical spring 29 acting between the said disk, and an adjustment screw 30 passing through the top cover of the cylinder. By the use of the adjustment screw 30 and the spring 29, the balance of the bellows can 'be 'adjusted With the greatest nicety, the outer spring 29 being made to balance the spring 27, and the movement of the bellows 25 regulates the position of the valve 19 and consequently the admission of the oxygen to the face-piece. The oxygen when admitted by the ValVe, passes from the tubular bellows through a tubular nozzl'e 31 (Fig. 4:) connected by a branch pipe 32 with the fiexible pipe l l leading directly to the face-piece 1 The pipe 14: is shown at Fig. 1, and it is connected to a tube 51, which passes through the walls of the face-piece and freely opens into a chanber within the face-piece. Within this chanber the tube 51 terninates in a short flexible open pipe 54- shown by dotted lines in Fig. l' which the user may seize between his lips upon emergency and inhale pure oxygen. p

With this apparatus, properly adjusted, the tubular bellows 25 will operate and become contracted in proportion to the energy ot inspiration of the explorer, and consequently a proportion of oxygen will be adnitted to the face-piece in accordance withhis requirements.

The branch pipe 32 by which the oxygen is delivered from the valve, has a by-pass 33 (Fig. 4-) communicating directly with the passage 16, in the nozzle leading from the oxygen cylinders, and this is normally closed by means of a screw valve 342 (Figs 4 and 7) but is capable, upon emergency, of being. opened. y

The oxygen cylinders 10 connected by the pipe 11 as before described, can be fitted with a gege 37, in such a position relatively to the face of the user, .that hecen Conveniently ascertain by observation the pressure of oxygen in the cylinders From the description and drawings of the apparatus according to this invention which has now been given, 't will be thoroughly understood that the regulation and variation of the sippl ot' oxygen does not call for the use of the hands of the explorer, and therefore leaves his hands free for more useful purposes, such as tor assisting Stifler the usertakes what is termed a long breath,

within the face-piece to open the sensitive,

outlet valve 44 'and so pass to the regenerator, -while the inspiration of the user reduces the pressure within the face-piece,

closes the outlet valve 44' and opens the inlet valve 45, and there is then drawn in through the inlet valve 45 a quantity of purified nitrogen from the storage bag, and

at the same time a supply of oxygen through I the pipe 51 communicating directly between the chamber 41 of the face-piece and the valve controlling the oxygen supply, the valve admitting the' oxygen being acted upon by the indrawing or inspiration of the user, in such nanner as to deliver the Tequisite quantity'of the said oxygen. If

it therefore follows that he will draw in not only a greater Volume of the purified nitrogen, but also a greater Volume of oxygen, and therefore this apparatus does not de end for its operation upon the pressure o the storage oxygen acting through an injector to mechanically draw in the nitrogen, nor does it call for the constant manipulation of the explorer, V

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by patent is z 1. In a respiration apparatus, a valve structure comprising a casing, an expansible bellows within thesaid casing, an inlet connection terminating within the bellows chamber, an outlet connection leading from the bellows chamber, a valve controlling the orifice of the said inlet connection, guides extending into said bellows from the said casing within which guides the said valve is adapted to move, a spring beneath the said" valve tending to open the same, a spindle extending transversely above the said valve and having bearings in the said uides, two eccentrics loose on the said 'spinla an arm fixed to each eccentric and extending thei' from, 'pivoted links forminglazy-tongs extending from the said arms to the free end of the said bellows and means for balancing the said bellows.

2. In -a respiration apparatus, a valve structure comprising a casng, an expansible bellows within the said casing, an inlet connection terminating within the bellows chamber, an outlet connection leadin from the bellows chamber, a valve governng the orifice of the said inlet connection, guides extending into the bellows chamber from said valve and journaled within the said guides, two eccentrics loose on the said spindle, an arm fixed to each eccentric and extending` therefron, pivoted links forming lazy-tongs extending from said arms to the free end of said bellows, a helical spring within the said bellows acting between the said casing and the'free end of the bellows, a helical spring within the casing acting between the end of the same and the exterior of the free end of the bellows, and means for adjusting the tension of the last aforesaid spring for balancing the said bellows.

3. In a respiration a paratus, a valve structure comprising a ey indrical valve casing, a cylndrical bellows expansible in the direction of its axis and located within the valve casing and having one end connected to the said valve casing, a disk carried by and closing the other or free end of the said within the bellows chamber, an outlet connection leading from the bellows chamber, a

valve controllin the orifice of the said inlet connection, guides extending from the said casing into the bellows chamber and within which the said valve is adapted to move, a spring acting between the said valve and the valve casing tending to open the said valve, means for permitting the said valve to open upon the said bellows becoming contracted and for closing the said valve upon the said bellows becomin expanded, a helical sprin to expan the same, a screw-threaded spindle passing through the end of the ,said valve casing adjacent to the free end of the -said bellows, a cu -formed diskcarried by the said spindle within the said casing and a helical spring located between the said cup disk and the top of the saidbellows.

4. In a respiration a paratus, a valve structure comprising a .cy indrical valve casing, a cylndrical bellows expansible in the direction of its axis and located within the valve casing and having oneend connected to the said valve casin a disk carred by and closing the other ree 'end of the said bellows, an inlet connection" terminating within the bellows chamber, an outlet connection leadin from the bellows chamber, a valve control ing the orifice of the said inlet connection, guides extending from the said oasin into the bellows chamber and within whch the said'valve is adapted to move, a spring acting between the said valve and the valve casing tending to open the said valve, a spindle extending transversely above the said valve and being jour naled in 'the said uides, two eccentrics loose on 'the said spindle, an arm fixed to -each eccentric and extending therefrom, iv-' oted links forming lazy-tongs exten ing within the said bellows tending' end of the said bellows, a cup-formed disk from said arms to the free end of the said the said cup disk an& the top of the said bellows, a helical Spring within the said belbellows. lows tending to expand the same, a screw- I In `witness whereof have hereunto Set threaded spndle passing through the end of my hand in the presence of two witnesses. the said valve casing adjacent to the free WILLIAM EDWARD GARFORTH.

Wtnesses GRIFFITH BREWER, JOHN J owm carried by the said spindle within .the said casng and a helical spring located between 

